Helical differential



Aprrfifi 9, 1929. E, H, L Rg 130mm HELICAL DIFFERENTIAL Filed March 21,1925 Inventor: 130722 7 xwhhw Patented Apr. 9, 1929;

' cence entra n. stares Parser oer-res.

' 'nnwnnn n. nonnnz, or wns'r naa'rronn, connnorrou'r, assrenon EMPIRECOMPANY, or HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT,

, 'ro mamas. a CORPORATION ornnnawa.

- HELIGAL DIFFERENTIAL.

Application filed March 21 1925. Serial No. 17,246.

My invention relates to power-transmitting mechanism, and it hasparticular relation to a device for changing, while the mechanism is inoperation, the phase relation of operatively associated devices drivenfrom a common source of power.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a phase-changingapparatus for changing the angular relation of-members rotating inunison, and this object is accomplished by utilizing helical gears whichhave the inherent quality of producing relative rotation when one ismoved transversely of the other. This relative rotation of the gearsproduces a change in the angular relation ihereo f, which may in timingthe operations of two vmembers operatively connected by the gears.

A phase-changing device of the character designated may be readilyadapted for use in connection with a glass feeding machine of thegob-feeding type in which molten glass is discharged periodically, bymeans of a plunger, through an outlet in the bottom of a glasscontainer, a mold charge being severed from each mass of glass suspendedfrom said outlet and being then delivered to a glass shaping machine.Such a glass feeder is shown and described in the copending applicationof Karl E. Peiler, Serial No. 683,57 6, filed December 31, 1.923.

In this type of machine it is desirable to vary the timed relationbetween the expulsive iinpulse'of the plunger and the moment of severingthe molten glass issuing from the orifice of the glass container as aresult of 'such impulse, so as to obtain mold charges of differentweights and shapes in accordance with the type of parisons beingproduced.

Another object of this invention, asapplied to glass feeders of the kindindicated above, is to provide a sturdy and compact device for changingthe phase relation of the plunger and the severing means, whichaccomplishes this function without interrupting the operation of eitherof these means and in a highly eflicient manneigand in which thefriction .and wearing st'resses'shall be reduced to a minimum. r

In the illustrated embodiment of my i11- vention, axlally alined plungerand shear cams are driven by two alined helical gears,

one-rigidly secured to a. central shaft, and

be utilized to advantage the other loosely mounted thereon, these gearshaving thelr teeth cut in opposite directions, and the gears beingconnected for simultaneous rotatlon in the same direction, by means oftwo helical pinions each meshing with one of the helical gears andrigidly connected together. By shifting these pinions endwise, arelative angular displacement is produced between the-helical gears,and, consequently, between the plunger cam and the shear cam, by reasonof the helix angle of the helical gears and pinions.

Since an angular change of the intermeshmg helical gears is produced bya relative transverse movement thereof, the members operated by thegears may be arranged in any convenient manner to obtain the desiredphase-changing operation.

The single figure of the accompanying drawing is a longitudinalsectional view taken axially through a device constructed in accordancewith my invention.

Referring to the drawing, a substantially e11 tighth'ousing 12 containsa phase-changmg mechanism for operating the cares of a glass feederwhich maybe driven from any convenient source of power indicated b adriving worm 1O keyed to a shaft 11 whio is mounted in suitable bearingscarried by the housing. Convenient openings are provided 1n the top ofthe housing 12 for filling and at the bottom for withdrawingflubricant,and these openings are normally closed by plugs 13.

As shown, the worm 10 drives a worm gear 141 mounted on anannular member15 which also carries a helical gear 19 formed integral therewith. Themember 15 is also provided with an extended hub portion 16 whichsupports the gears 14 and 19 in a bearing 17 provided in the housing 12.The extension 16 is provided with an external flange 18 which abuts thehearing 17 and prevents any axial movement of the gears 14 and 1-9. Thisflange also forms a convenient support for an oper-- ating cam 4 1secured thereto by suitable screws 16.

The helical gear 19 drives an axially aligned helical gear 40 by meansof aligned intermediate helical pinions 20 and 39 respectively Thehelical gear 4.0 is provided with an extcn ded hub 11 journaled in abearing 43 provided in the housing12. The gear 40 is held from axialdisplacement by shoulders pinion coupling ears 20 and 39 are rigidlymounted on a sha t 21 which is longitudinally movable in its bearings,thus providing for shifting the pinion gears transversely of the maingears.

The pinion shaft 21 is mounted for rotation and axial adjustment inroller bearing and ball bearing structures 23 and 24 respectively. Theroller-bearing structure 23 is secured to the right-hand side of thehousing 12.

by screws 25 and is supplied with suitably mounted roller-elements 26that are held within the structure 23 by a cap 27. A recess 22 isprovided in the roller-bearing structure 23 to allow axial adjustment ofthe shaft 21 therein. Y

The ball bearing structure 24 at the left hand side of the housingincludes ball elements 31 secured between retainer elements and 37 whichare arranged to also serve as thrust elements. The inner retainer 37 isrigidly secured to the shaft 21 by a nut 38 and the outer retainer 30clamped to a tubular bearing member 29 by means of a cooperatinginternal member 32 which is secured to the tubular member by screws 33.

The tubular member 29 is provided with an external threaded portion 28which en gages complementary-threads in the housing, and the bearingstructure as an entirety may be rotated by a hand wheel 34 to cause anaxial movement ofthe shaft and the pinions carried thereby.

The helical pinion 39 is also mounted on, and preferably formed integralwith, the shaft 21 and drives the helical gear 40 in unison with thehelical gear 19and in the same direction.

To assist in maintaining the alignment of the several parts, a sha ft'56extends through the helical gears 19 and 40, the hubs 16 and 41 and thecam-carrying heads 18 and 48. The gear member 15, with its associatedhelical gear 19, hub 16 and head 18, is secured to the shaft 56, whilethe helical gear 40, with its hub 41 and head 48, is loosely mountedthereon. lFr'om this construction it will be obvious that the shaft 56rotates in the same direction as the helical gears and the cams driventhereby, and at the same speed. The helical ear 40, however, is free toturn upon the sha t 56 when the angular relation of the helical gears 19and 40 is to be changed.

Referring to the left-hand side of the housing 12, a cam 44 is disposedwithout the housing 12 and is rotated with an unchanging re lationshipto the driving worm 19. It? is, therefore, constantly in perfectcyclicunison with any mechanism which it operates, such, for example, asthe shears of a glass feeder of the kind mentioned above.

Referring to the right-hand side of the' housing 12, there is shown acam '47 secured to gular displacement of this cam relative to the head48.

The teeth 54 formed 011 the helical pinion 20 are cut in a helical pathand lead in one direction while the teeth 55 in the pinion 39 are cut ina helical path of corresponding lead but in-an opposite direction; Asthe teeth 54 are moved axially across the teeth of the rela tively fixedhelical gear 19, a rotary movement is imparted to the helical pinion 20.and likewise to the shaft 21 and to the helical pinion 39 carriedthereon, thus imparting a consider- .able rotary motion to the helicalgear 40 and itsoperating cam 47 connected thereto. Y

In the normal operation of the device de scribed above, the cams 44 and47 are driven in unison, and in the same direction. When it is desiredtochange the'angular relation between these cams, the hand wheel 34 isturned, thus imparting endwise movement to both of the helical pinions20 and 39. Due to tho ing element. 1t willbe noted that the angucausedby the endwise adjustment of the helical pinions is twice as great asthe angle v through which the pinions themselves are rotated, becausethe two pinions, when moved endwise, rotate their. respective helicalequally and in opposite directions.

By substituting other helical pinions and gears having other helixangles, various dclar displacement between the gears 19 and 40 grees ofrelative displacement may be obtained, so that a fine or coarsetLLlJLlStll'lQllt may be provided as required.

'1 have-shown and described a specific en1- bodiment of my invention andthe. useful phase-changing results obtained lI'OIIl the inherentqualities of helical gears, when one is moved transversely of the other,and it is obvious that the invention may be utilized in changing theangular relation of rotating members in various types of mechanism. Inone type of phase-changing mechanism which is extensively used inglassafeeding ma chines, a plungei operatilig cam and a shearoperatingcam are mounted coaxially, one

on a hollow shaft and the other on another shaft extending through thehollow shaft. The two shafts are connected by bevel gearing'inthe-nature of a differential drive, one bevel gear being secured to eachof the telescoped shafts, and the bevel gears being connected by a bevelpinion meshing with both of the gears. The phase relation of the cams ischanged by rotating one, of the cams with respect to the other. Such anarrangement; while ettective, has the disadvantage that the shafts andbearings are subjected to a considerable and unequal wear, by reason ofthe fact that the shafts rotate one within the other and in oppositedirections or at difierent speeds,.and also by reason of the unequalstresses upon the shaft bearings which are inci'dent to thatconstruction.

Eiccording to the specific embodiment of my present invention describedabove, it provide a phase-changing gearing in which the objectionsmentioned above are avoided by mounting the cams and their driving gearson a single shaft, and by causing the shaft and the driving gears torotate in the same direction and at the same speed during their normaloperation, without relative movement between'the shaft and the gearsexcept when the angular relation of the gears is changed for the purposeof changing the phase relation of the cams.

My invention is not limited to the use of helical "gear wheels as hereinshown, since helical segments or racks provided with angularly disposedteeth for intermeshing engagement with the helical pinions may besubstituted for the helical gear wheels. Uther modifications may also beresorted to within thescope of the appended claims.

it claim as my' invention: 1. Phase changmg gearmg comprising twoaxially aligned spiral gears each adapted to rotate one of two memberswhose phase relation is to be changed, an intermediate pinion unitcomprising two axially aligned spiral pinions adapted to mesh with thespiral gears for rotating said gears in the same direction,

and means for moving the pinions along their axis of rotation forchanging the angular relation of said gears.

2. Phase changing gearing comprising a shaft adapted to carry a pair ofrotatable members, whose phase relation is to be changed, a spiral gearon one of said members, a spiral gear mounted onthe other member, anintermediate pinion unit comprising two aligned pinions for driving saidgears, and means for adjusting said pinions along their axis ofrotationrfor changing the angu-' lar relation of the rotatable members.

3. Phase-changing gearing comprising two alined helical gears, eachadapted for connection to one of the members whose phase relation is tobe changed, and each having its teeth-angularly disposed with respect tothe teeth of the other gear, an intermediatedriving'unit comprising twohelical pinions meshing with said gears,'and means for simult neouslyand longitudinally shifting said pinions, to change the angular relationof the intermeshing gears.

' 4:. Phase-changing gearing comprising two alinedhelical gears eachhaving its teeth extending angularly with respect to the teeth of theothergear, a shaft rigidly carrying oneof said gears and looselycarrying the other gear, two helical pinions mounted to rotate in unisonand each meshing with one of said helical gears,and means forsimultaneously and longitudinally shifting said pinions,-to change theangular relation of the inter-meshing gears- 5. In combination, a pairof rotatable operating members, a helical gear mounted for rotation witheach of said members, the teeth of one of said gears being angularlydisposed with respect to the teeth of the other gear, means for drivingone of said gears, a pair of helical pinions mounted for rotation inunison and each meshing with one of said helical gears to transmit therotation of one heli-' cal gear to the other, and means for adjustingsaid pinions in an axial direction to produce relative angulardisplacement of said helical gears .and of said operating members.

6. In combination, a pair of rotatable operating members, a helical gearmounted for rotation with each of said members, the teeth of one of saidgears being angularly disposed with respectto the teeth of the othergear, means for driving one of said gears, a pair of helicalpinions'mounted for rotation in unison and each meshing with one of saidhelical gears to transmit the rotation ofone helical gear to the other,and means, operable while said gears are rotating, for moving saidpinions in an axial direction.

7. In combination, apair of operating devices, a toothed driving memberoperatively connected to each of said devices, the teeth of each memberbeing angularly disposedwith respect to the teeth of the other member,means for 'moving one of said driving members, a pair of elements eachhaving inter.- meshing engagement with one of said driving members, andmeans for adjusting said elements in a direction transverse to thedirection of movement of said driving members to shift one of saidmembers relative to the other and to thereby change the time cycle ofoperation of one of the said operating devices relative to the other.

8. In combination, a pair of v operating members,a helical gear mountedfor rotation with each of said members, the said members and gears beingin axial alignment with one another and the teeth of said gears beingangularly disposed with respect to each other, means for driving one ofsaid gears, a pair of helical pinions mounted in axial alignmentparallel with the. axis of said helical gears and adapted to be rotatedin unison, each of said pinions meshing with one of said helical gearsto transmit the rotation of one helical gear to the other, means foradjusting said pinions in an axial dire'ctionto shift one of saidhelical gears angularly'relative to the other and to thereby advance oneof the operating members relative to the other, and a members, ahelical. gear connected to drive each of said members, the teeth of saidgears being (llSPOSQCl at opposlte angles with rev spect to eachother, apair of helical pinions mounted for rotation in unison and each meshingwith one of said helical gears, and

i said helical means for adjusting said pinions in-an axial direction toshift one of said helical gears angularly relative to the other and totherebyadvance one of the operating members relaing so formed that saidaxial shifting of the gear will circumferentially advance or retive tothe other.

10. The combination with a pair of rotatable operating members, a pairof hellcal gears each mounted forfi'otation with one ofsaid members, theteeth of said gears being disposed at opposite angles with respect toeach other, means for driving one of said gears, a pair of helicalpinions mounted for rotation in unison and each meshing with one of saidhelical gears to cause the rotation of the said driven helical geartodrive the other in the same direction and at the same speed, a shaftextending through, and rotating in unison with, both of said helicalgears, and means for moving the said helical pinions in an axialdirection while said gears are rotating, thereby changing the angularrelation of gears and of said actuating mem bers. v

11. lln combination, a pairof coaxially mounted rotatable cams, a pairof helical gears each having 'its teeth angularly disposed with respectto the teeth of the other gear between said cams and coaxially therewithand each of said gears being connected to rotate one of said cams, ashaft extending through all of said cams and gears, a second.

shaft mounted parallel tosaid first-named shaft, hel cal ,pinionscarried by said second shaft and meshing with said helical gears, andmeans for shifting said second shaft longitudinally.

12. In combination, a pair of coaxially mounted rotatable cams, a pairof helical gears, each connected to rotate one of said cams and eachhaving its teeth angularly disposed with respect to the teeth of theother gear, the said gears being mounted between a said cams andcoaxially therewith, a shaft extending through all of said cams andgears, a

second shaft mounted parallel'to said firstnamed shaft, helical pinionscarried by said a second shaft and meshing with said helical meansincluding a screw threaded adjusting member having a swivel connectionwith one of said gears and mounted formovement by the action of itsscrew threads to shift the gear having said swivel connection therewithaxially with respect to the other gear, the intermeshing surfaces ofsaid gears betard a given point on the periphery of one gear withrespect to a corresponding point on the periphery of the other gear.

14. The combination of a helical driving gear and a helical driven gearrunning in mesh with each other and rotatable about parallel axes, amovable anti-friction device supporting one end of-the driving gear, andmeans for adjusting said anti-friction device and the driving gear as aunit axially of said' driving gear to change the angular relation ofsaid gears.

r 15. The combination of a helical driving gear and a helical drivengear running in mesh with each other, an anti-friction device connectedwith one end of the driving gear, and a mounting supporting saidantifriction device and said driving gear for movement as a unit axiallyof the driving gear, whereby the angular relationof said gears may bechanged, said mounting and said anti-friction device havingco-engagtatable member, said motion transmitting;

means including a helical gear carried by said second rotatable memberand a helical pinion in mesh with said helical gear, said helical pinionbeing movable axially independently of the helical gear while in meshtherewith to change the-phase relation between said 'first na'medrotatable members,

and driving means between said driven ro-- tatable member and saidhelical pinion.

. Signed t Har ford, Connecticut, this 20th day of March, 1925. a

j EDWARD H. LORENZ.

